This Nashville Predators offseason was a stark contrast from the prior one, as GM Barry Trotz made only one real notable trade, and a few other depth moves. One of those moves was trading a fourth round pick for veteran Erik Haula, a man who has played for the team before and also has familiarity with Head Coach Andrew Brunette from their time in New Jersey.
It was a move that was slightly questionable, as the Predators gave up a draft pick for an older bottom six guy when the best thing they could have been doing was getting younger for the future. It was hard to figure out what they were trying to accomplish, especially when it could block some of the younger guys who are in house.
I was skeptical of the move at first and still do not love it, but the more I look at the player and what the Predators could use in their lineup, I can see why Trotz thought he would be a worthwhile addition for the 2025-26 season.
Nashville Predators could use Haula's speed and two-way ability
First let's go back to May 2021highlight, an overtime victory for the Predators over their division rival Dallas Stars on a game-winner from none other than, Erik Haula.
Haula's days of doing that consistently are behind him, but he is a guy who can score those crafty goals in tight to the goaltender.
One of the biggest issues on last year's Predators was a lack of speed, especially among the forwards. Haula, while being 34-years-old and maybe not quite as fast as he once was, is considered a fast skater with a very high motor.
Haula hit an outstanding 23.45 MPH during the 2023-24 season, and while it did dip last year, he once again got closer to what he was the year prior as the season progressed. Maybe his speed is declining a bit, but he was still one of the top-five fastest skaters on a fast Devils team, which makes it understandable why Trotz sought him out.
Haula also is a strong two-way player, in fact, he found his name in Selke Trophy voting during the 2022-23 season, which is when Brunette was in New Jersey. The Predators did not have much two-way speed at the center position in 2024-25, and especially looking at that particular connection with Brunette, you can see the logic to acquire him.
On the surface, you will see that Haula had a significant dip in production last season, but to be fair to him, his ice time dropped and he only played 69 games. So really, he did not experience as much of a drop-off as it might appear to the naked eye.
Haula's underlying numbers really did not dip either, as they have stayed fairly consistent for the past three years. He is a physical player too, registering 101 hits last year, so overall, the Predators can expect that they have a well rounded bottom six forward in Haula.
Haula has good qualities, but still will be no game changer for Nashville Predators
Now let's make no mistake here, Haula is what he is at this point in his career and certainly will not take the Predators from the basement to the playoffs. If anything, he will be a stopgap for them, providing the coaching staff with familiarity and slightly taking pressure off of the younger guys.
Players such as Zachary L'Heuruex, Joakim Kemell, and Ozzy Weisblatt very well might play alongside Haula in some capacity. If they do, they will have experience skating beside a fast veteran, which will naturally help them become better skaters, while they can put more intentional focus on other areas that need work.
In terms of actual point projections, I will predict him to be somewhere in the low 30's, but of course, that is not the main concern with a bottom six guy like him. He is not even expected to truly make this overall team much faster on his own, despite his speed and two-way abilities.
All the Predators expect is for him to provide some stability, reliability, and consistency, and given his skills and his track record, he should absolutely be able to do that. I am still not a huge fan of giving up assets for older depth forwards, but if the team were to do it, a guy like Haula is one to do it for.